Back when I started my own place in 2012, I had to pick between a big, fancy facial machine or a really good, simple set of hand tools.

3 comments

3 Comments

Hot take: Tools don't make the craft, the craft makes the tools. I mean, idk, maybe it's just me but this whole debate feels kinda pointless. It's not about one being better. The machine gets you clean results fast so you can actually build stuff and learn design. The hand tools teach you a totally different feel for the material. You can learn both, just at different times. Picking one doesn't mean you're throwing shade at the other way forever.

tara_patel2mo ago

I went with the hand tools, a basic set of Japanese chisels and a couple of sharpening stones. That choice forced me to learn the fundamentals of my craft from the ground up. The fancy machine would have just been a shortcut I didn't understand yet.

terryw672mo ago

My uncle spent two years trying to master hand-cut dovetails with that same mindset. He finally got a decent router and jig, and his work improved overnight because he could actually practice joinery instead of just fighting his tools. Sometimes the "shortcut" is just a better tool that lets you learn the real skill faster. You can always go back and learn the hand method later if you want.